The present application relates to analyzing core samples with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging, relaxometery, and diffusimetry.
Often samples of subterranean formations referred to as core samples are acquired via core drilling methods. The core samples are then analyzed to determine the properties (e.g., porosity, hydrocarbon content, water content, organic matter content, mineralogy content including shale content, pore structure content, and the like) of the portion of the formation from which they were acquired.
In order to analyze core samples from a subterranean formation, a core apparatus drills a core sample. Once at the surface, the core sample is often preserved by hermetically sealing the core sample in a thick coating of wax or by freezing with dry ice. The purpose of preservation is primarily to maintain the core and any fluids therein and the distribution of those fluids in the core sample as close as possible to reservoir conditions. However, as the native pressure of the core sample is invariably much higher than the pressure at the surface, the gases and light fluids that may have been trapped in the rock will escape from the core sample as it is brought to the surface thus making the core sample less accurate in providing a picture of the subterranean formation from which the core sample was taken.